Sunday Night Newsletter 5-8-2022

Rosé 

Chateau Les Mesclances ‘Cuvee Saint Honorat’ Cotes de Provence Rosé 2021 750ML ($29.95) $26 special, 26 bottles in stock now
No reviews for the 2021. 2020 review provided for reference.
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “Balanced, fresh and fruity, this wine is bright with red berries lifted by the acidity. It is crisp and textured, with lightly structured, perfumed Mourvèdre that gives a final flourish. Organic. -Roger Voss”

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Oregon

Goodfellow Pinot Gris Whistling Ridge Vineyard, Ribbon Ridge 2020 750ML ($21.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Winery note “Whistling Ridge Vineyard sits ridge-top in the western edge of the Ribbon Ridge AVA. -The vines catch the daily winds that blow in, slowing ripening, evaporating moisture, and cooling fruit. Shallow soils are eroded from uplifted marine sedimentary rock, 40 to 50 million years old, and dry out quickly in the growing season. No-till farming forces the non-irrigated vines to grow roots deep in search of water. Richard Alvord and Patricia Gustafson planted, and have farmed the vineyard for the past two and a half decades.”

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Kelley Fox Wines Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2021 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Young vine fruit from the Freedom Hill vineyard

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Kelley Fox Wines Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley 2021 750ML ($39.95) $31.90 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This wine was produced from the storied Freedom Hill Vineyard in Dallas (bordering the Eola-Hills A.V.A.) and was planted, owned and farmed by the Dusschee family. The soil here is Bellpine, a marine sedimentary silt clay loam that is well-drained. The Pinot blanc was whole cluster-pressed after picking. It settled in tank for a couple of days before racking and this year, after primary, it was racked to neutral Burgundy oak barrels (228L). No new wood. This wine is dry and ML-complete. The colour is a highly transparent, brilliant pale, and youthful lemon-yellow. The nose is full of delicate citrus, peach, and floral tones with hints of sea-fresh salinity and powdery minerals, and to date, extends quite a bit beyond the glass. The texture is light on its feet but has lovely heft like fine silver does. The mouth is much like the nose and has wonderful acidity. This Pinot blanc is very clean on the palate, and long. There is a balance and serenity to this wine that I love.”

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California

Arnot-Roberts Vare Vineyard Ribolla Gialla, Napa Valley 2020 750ML ($59.95) $47 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2020 Ribolla Gialla Vare Vineyard is super-elegant, savory and nuanced. In 2020, the Ribolla has a bit more edginess than in most years, probably a combination of the natural character of Ribolla, early bottling and the early personality of the year. I like the aromatics quite a bit, though. This needs time in bottle. There is plenty of energy.”

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Arnot-Roberts Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley 2019 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard is a headspinning wine. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2019 captures all the pedigree of this great site. Readers will find a towering, statuesque Cabernet of the highest level. Graphite, leather, dried herbs, menthol and licorice play off a core of intense, dark fruit. Potent, muscular tannins need time to soften, but, wow, what a wine. Best of all, the Montecillo is one of the most insane values readers will find in elite California Cabernet Sauvignon. I would be thrilled to own it.”

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France – Champagne

Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Fac-Simile Extra Brut Rosé, Champagne NV 750ML ($749.95) $699 special, 1 bottle in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 97+ points “The NV Extra Brut Rosé Fac-similie (LC19) has tightened up a little in the last six months—no surprise, given this vintage’s prodigious concentration. Unwinding in the glass with notes of red berries, rose petals, musky peach and orange oil, it’s full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit, tangy acids and a rich but tightly wound profile. This is a fabulous rendition of Fac-similie that is built for the long haul.”


France – Rhône 

Pierre Gonon Saint-Joseph Rouge, Rhône 2019 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 5 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Moving to the flagship, the 2019 Saint Joseph got a big “wow” in my notes, and this is the finest wine I’ve tasted from these hard-working brothers. Awesome red and black fruits, ground pepper, and hints of game and meatiness all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with perfect balance, silky tannins, and one heck of a finish. This brilliant Saint Joseph is one of the top wines in the appellation and can be enjoyed any time over the coming 15 years.”
Decanter 95 points “Deeply aromatic with violets and Kalamata olives, it’s wildly resinous with a touch of black cherry. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s more concentrated and fresher than most Saint-Josephs this year. It has the classic depth and texture of Gonon’s Saint-Joseph, thick and alive, like a jungle. Very long finish with a floral lift. A big vintage here – increasingly the norm. Better freshness and lower alcohol heat than most in 2019. Drinking Window 2023 – 2030.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94+ points “Gonon’s 2019 Saint Joseph retains the typical floral signature on the nose, but it is more dark-fruited than usual, with notes of black cherries, blackberries and even black olives. It’s medium to full-bodied, the first vintage recorded over 14% alcohol, according to Jean Gonon (14.2%). Concentrated, rich and velvety in feel, it boasts a long, gently chewy finish and should age well.”

Saint Cosme Côte Rôtie, Rhône 2019 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97 points “Not destemmed and just pure, old school Côte Rôtie, the 2019 Côte Rôtie offers a monster bouquet of ground pepper, blackberries, smoked earth, graphite, and assorted darker, meaty red and black fruits. Gorgeous on the palate as well, it’s medium to full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with ripe, present tannins and a killer finish. It has a little Jamet-like wild, classic character and is going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A racy, high-pitched, mineral-driven style, with raspberry and damson plum coulis notes pierced with savory and sanguine accents. The long, tight-grained, iron-edged finish resonates. Best from 2022 through 2034.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “Big florals and raspberries mark the nose of Saint Cosme’s 2019 Cote Rotie. Hints of stems show through, and this wine clearly would benefit from a few years in the cellar, but it is far from being unapproachable. Normally a blend of several lieux-dits, it sees about 30% new oak in its élevage, but the wood is scarcely noticeable. Medium to full-bodied, creamy and supple on the palate, with a long, fruit-infused finish, this should age gracefully for a decade or more.”  

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Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2019 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 33 bottles in stock now
Grapelive 94 points “I am a huge fan of Louis Barroul’s negociant line of Northern Rhone bottlings, which seem, as I say almost every year, to get better with each new release. I especially love this Crozes-Hermitage bottling. The latest Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage, with its seductive purple/ruby hue, opens up with crushed violets and dark berries on the nose, leading to a full bodied palate of boysenberry, damson plum, blueberry fruits, along with light earthy notes, anise, cedar and olive tapenade. There is a purity flavors in this 2019, along with good acidity and well-judged tannic structure that hold things in taut detail, making for a beautifully crafted wine. The year provided good ripeness for a graceful mouth feel that is impressive for this appellation. This wine is a stunning value, delivering all the best that this grape has to offer. Barruol sources his Crozes-Hermitage from the granite hillsides of Gervans and Erôme, just behind Hermitage hill, noting himself that the wines are often quite similar to those of Hermitage, which explains why I can’t get enough of it. Going on, he adds that where these Syrah grapes are grown, it could almost be a unique appellation in its own right, because there is a huge difference within the terroirs of Crozes-Hermitage and this area is very different from the flatter sections. Saint Cosme, located in Gigondas, is famous for their estate and single terroir bottlings of Gigondas, which are maybe some of the greatest Grenache based wines on the planet. The property which dates back to 1416 was acquired Barruol’s ancestors back in 1570, and at the end of the sixteenth century they built a splendid residence over those ancient cellars. Château de Saint Cosme, which is on the 14th generation, is an exceptional and historical winery, with its Gallo-Roman fermentation vats perfectly preserved it lives and breathes with that connection to the past… I find the harmony in this wine almost perfect… The energy and roundness gives this wine a luxurious feel, but doesn’t take away Syrah’s natural funk and savory tones. This impresses me every time I take a sip and makes this a crowd pleasing wine. Again, I love these Northern Rhone negociant offerings from Saint Cosme almost as much their legendary Gigondas, especially this Crozes, which is a stunning value. If you’ve not had these wines now is a great time to explore them!”

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France – Loire

Very few estates can count winemaking generations in the double digits. Like Louis Barruol of Saint Cosme, siblings Emmanuel and Laurie Caslot are the 14th generation to helm their family’s ancient estate (their sister, Stéphanie Caslot, passed away in 2021). They craft profound examples of Cabernet Franc that are intimately tied to the land they farm biodynamically. 

Domaine de la Chevalerie Bourgueil Bretêche, Loire 2015 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Winery note “An explosion of fruity deliciousness with very pure aromas of cherries, red currants and black currants. Of energy and great pleasure. A chalky and crunchy mouth effectively supported by lovely bitter and smoky notes. A wine that loudly proclaims where it comes from given a few hours in the carafe. “
Importer note “Bretêche is an old word referring to a window or entrance to a fortified building, often above a gate to enable defenders to rain arrows or what have you upon attackers. It can also refer to entrances and exits in general, and this particular vineyard grows on the edge of the Restigné commune, where a road comes in. Pierre Caslot planted his parcel between 1988 and 1992 after his wife inherited the rights to rent it from her family. They farm just over 13 acres here. The soils are young limestone and a little clay, and this makes for a long, more linear wine than Galichets or Chevalerie, one with evident stony aromatics, lift and focus given by the limestone.”

Domaine de la Chevalerie Bourgueil Galichets, Loire 2015 750ML ($34.95) $29 special, 36 bottles in stock now
John Gilman 93+ points “The 2015, which is the current release, offers up a superb, precise bouquet of red and black cherries, cigar wrapper, a touch of tree bark, a beautiful base of gravelly soil tones, a hint of juniper berry and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, complex and full-bodied, with a rock solid core of fruit, excellent mineral drive, ripe, buried tannins and a long, vibrant and complex finish. I love the “cool fruit” profile of this wine, which even in the hot summer of 2015 comes in at a svelte thirteen percent octane. This is simply an outstanding young Bourgueil!”
Importer note “A 25-acre vineyard heading down the terrace toward the river that is planted on stony, sandy clay soils (the limestone bedrock is at least three feet below the surface and typically more). The oldest vines in Galichets date from 1934. A part of that plantation was replanted in the 1970s and 80s, with yet another small section replanted in the 1990s. The siblings are beginning to replant some of the oldest vines now, bringing the average age of this vineyard to 35-40 years of age. Galichets tends to make the domain’s spiciest and fruitiest wine, underpinned by a dark sappiness.”

The “bistro” wine of the bunch, easy-drinking with crushed berry notes. Serve lightly chilled with just about any food you can think of. Like all of the estate’s wines, this is farmed biodynamically.
Domaine de la Chevalerie Bourgueil ‘Diptyque’, Loire 2018 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Winery note “From alluvial terraces, a supple and sweet wine, giving soft tannins. A wine to share, a wine of friendship, ‘A sporty wine’, to be tasted anytime, anywhere. Quite simply a wine to give pleasure.”
Importer note “This is the domain’s vin de soif, made from vines growing in gravelly, sandy, and clay-sandy soils. The élevage is a short four to six months in concrete vats with, sometimes, a small proportion done in older barrels. Light maceration—the intent is to have an easy, supple wine. Diptyque is ancient Greece referring to two panels linked together. In painting, this is two panels linked; in music, an oeuvre in two parts. Here, with wine, it is a cuvée made with sun and soil.”

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Italy – Tuscany

Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a dark and rich expression with a generous delivery of dark fruit—prune, plum and black cherry. The vines are planted in galestro soils with clay and shale in a 3.5-hectare plot, resulting in a 14,000-bottle production. Winemaking is simple, with fermentation in steel and aging in botte grande for three years. There is some extra density or heaviness to the fruit that feels reinforced by the oak notes and ultimately by the wine’s tannins. This wine will be released in April 2021, and that sounds about right because it needs more time.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The 2016 Cerbaia is lifted with notes of raspberry, sour cherry, thyme, and dusty earth. The palate is brisk with fresh red fruits and tea leaf, while structured with lingering tannin and driving acidity. It needs time to loosen its grip and will be welcome over several years to come. It was aged for three years in large Slavonian oak and is sourced from Cerbaia’s largest vineyard, planted in 1989. Drink 2025-2036.”
Eric Guido-Vinous 92 points “Red licorice, dried roses, a dusting of cedar and black cherry form up to create the deeply alluring bouquet of the 2016 Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino. It’s silky in testure with a sweet-and-sour expression of red berry fruits and minerals, all guided by zesty acids, as grippy tannins form toward the close. Hints of mocha, brown spice and purple inner florals linger over a coating of youthful structure.”